Dinah

Dinah is the main character of the novel. The book is written from her point of view. She tells of her mothers' stories and then her own stories. Dinah is born to mothers who have been waiting for a girl. They want someone to pass down their ways, stories, and rituals. Dinah learns about these as well as the red tent. They whisper in her ears and shape her as a woman. From her travels to Canaan, Mamre, Shechem, Egypt, and finally the Valley of the Kings, Dinah grows into a strong-minded beautiful woman. Although she feels that she has left her mothers and their ways after she flees to Egypt, she carries them in her heart.

Dinah's character shows that women can experience love in many different ways, including the way a mother loves a daughter, and sisters love one another. Each of her mothers loves her...